Golden Wing | Finch Beer Co.

0 characters.
We love reviews! Turn your rating into one with ≥ 150 characters. Awesome. Thanks for the review!

In English, explain why you're giving this rating. Your review must discuss the beer's attributes (look, smell, taste, feel) and your overall impression in order to indicate that you have legitimately tried the beer. Nonconstructive reviews may be removed without notice and action may be taken on your account.

Notes / Commercial Description:
Finch's Blonde Ale is an easy drinking and approachable American craft beer. It has a moderately sweet malty aroma and is deep gold in color. We like to think of this particular one as more of a 'Dirty Blonde.' When you first pour it, a soft lacey foam clings to the glass as malty aromas fill your nose and linger to the final sip. Upon finish, this blonde turns heads with a smooth finish and a touch of bitterness in the aftertaste. Enjoy this medium-bodied craft beer anytime of year.

The scent was a bit green (young) and nondescript. Some yeasty notes, fresh and clean, but little else to be honest. Dry hop it for some aroma?

Firmly bitter, earthy and herbal hop presence that lingered for a bit into the aftertaste. Somewhat floral with a light malt presence. Easy drinking, simple and well carbonated without much nuance. Quenching and sessionable enough, seemed like something best paired with food. Maiden voyage from Finch's, i've heard good things about the Cut Throat Pale Ale, and plan to seek it out next...

Things have taken a detour here on New CANned Beer Sunday as Karbach's Weisse Versa Wheat was in the on-deck circle until I realized that there is neither a picture nor one pending. I CANNot brook a picture of an opened CAN and my camera is not ready-to-hand, so it has gone back into the holding pen, sorry, JenRay.

This is a beautiful CAN that I scored at Pinocchio's on Friday! Yellow/gold is CANsidered to be the luckiest color in many eastern religions, hence Uma Thurman's outfit in "Kill Bill".

Finch's calls it a "Dirty Blonde", making it the logical follow-on to Atwater's Dirty Blonde. Line up the Dirty Blondes so that I may have all of them in the CAN!

I even have a soundtrack going which includes both Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughn's "Little Wing" after which I will ride my Honda Silver Wing while the Old Lady leads the way on her Honda Gold Wing. Man, I'm writing this while I'm coming in on a wing and a prayer. Enough? So be it!

From the CAN: "Enjoy the beer in here."

My Crack developed some spritzing action that reminded me of Devo's "Whip It" video, leading to an inverted Glug. I ended up with a finger-and-a-half of rocky, eggshell-white head with decent retention. Color was a hazy golden-yellow, but Midas told me that he is more into clarity and gave it a pass. Nose had a musty, yeasty quality causing me to wonder what this Dirty Blonde had been up to previously. Mouthfeel was medium, approaching fullness, with a combination of minty hops and a yeasty mustiness on the tongue. Ooh, I like this Dirty Blonde! Then again, I have always had success in Chicago. Where was I? Oh, yes. I let it roll around in my mouth before swallowing and it not only seemed to increase in viscosity, but the grassy, minty hops really amped up in intensity. Phew! If this is the trend for the ABA style, then I am all for it. I wish that I had bought this before my recent beach excursions and it rates a place on Hula in the Coola Day (01 Feb, annually).

Appearance: Pours out a lightly hazed, golden-hued body with a tall, sudsy, white head. If nothing else, it's at least a good-looking blonde.

Smell: Modest maltiness in the nose hinting a thin sliver of sweetness atop broader hop notes of citrus, florals, and a zestful grassiness.

Taste: Light taste of brioche lightly brushed with wildflower honey for a bit of sweetness. Slightly floral, citrusy hops with a bit of spiciness to it. Grows more grassy on the back half and into the dry, moderately bitter finish.

Pounder can poured into a standard pint glass. The brew pours a clear light golden yellow color with a finger of white head that fades back to soapy lacing and a thin film across the top.

The aroma has a bit of perfume-like lemon to coriander character over a slight yeast spicing like black pepper. Minor hints of earth and wheaty grain are also present but they play a very minor supporting role to the lemon inclusion.

The taste has a lemony zesty bitterness almost grassy and solvent and perfune-like. A touch of herbal conponent and faint yeast almost like clove and pepper are noticed with additional sips. However, the oily lemon-like zest and bitterness is the dominating character.

This is a medium to light bodied brew with a very light amount of carbonation. It is pretty bitter for a blonde with almost astringent perfume finish. It i ok to say ive tried it but I would avoid ever having this again.

A- One inch tall fizzly head on a clear pale yellow beer. Very fine sediment within the body. Pretty darn good lacing and decent head retention.

S- Bready. Hints of lemon zest.

T- Initial sweetness followed immediately by a lemony citrus flavor and a hop bite. Not much to it but refreshing none-the-less. ABV matches well with actual presence in the taste.

M- Medium carbonation. Mouthfeel is medium-thin.

D/O- Great in the refreshment department, lacking in the flavor one...but that's not a blondes strong suit anyways. Would have again, perhaps next summer paired with a chicken meal on the streets of Chicago somewhere. Thanks for the small "keep'em tickin'" trade to kawilliams81!

Another can provided by the (in)famous woodychandler. Poured from a 16 oz. can. Has a deep golden color with a 1/2 inch head. Smell is malty and biscuity. Taste has a good bit of hops for the style, bready, some malts, easy drinking. Feels medium bodied in the mouth and overall is a solid beer.

Thanks to Kristina for sharing this gem. Served in a Jester King tulip.

A - A finger of white foam settles to hazy, wispy, patches and a thin collar, leaving behind minimal lacework. The body is a lightly hazed golden color.

S - Cereal grains, yeasty bread, some cooked veggies, and a light metallic note. The cereal character reminds me of Cheerios that have been sitting in milk for far too long.

T - Taste is equally horrendous. Cooked cabbage, stale cereal, seltzer water. Finish is mildly astringent. Reminds me of this line from 1984 - "The kitchen sink was full nearly to the brim with filthy greenish water which smelt worse than ever of cabbage. "

M - Grainy, with lower carbonation. Slightly slimy medium-light body. Thankfully no alcohol, although that would have been impressive given the 4.7% ABV.

D - It was a struggle to choke down a few ounces of this one - most of my friends wouldn't even try it after taking one whiff of the glorious aroma. This is on par with Indian Wells for terrible beer.